Area farms honored as Hoosier Homesteads

August 12, 2019

From Local Sources

INDIANAPOLIS — Multiple farms with roots in Dubois and Spencer counties received the Hoosier Homestead Award, which was presented Friday by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis.

Ninety-six families were presented the award for their commitment to Indiana agriculture, a new record in the program’s 40-year history.

“The vast majority of farms in Indiana are family owned and operated,” Crouch said. “They are the foundation we rely on as a society, which is something we must never take for granted. It was an honor to recognize these families at the great Indiana State Fair.”

Two farms in Dubois County were honored:

• The Schuler Temple farm, founded in 1901, was awarded a centennial honor.

• The Wagner farm, founded in 1869, received a sesquicentennial honor.

In Spencer County, two farms were also honored:

• The Mehling farm, founded in 1919, was awarded a centennial honor.

• The Patmore farm, founded in 1919, received a centennial honor.

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, and consist of 20 acres or more, or produce more than $1,000 in agricultural products per year.

Families are eligible for three different distinctions of the Hoosier Homestead Award, based on the age of the farm — Centennial Award for 100 years, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years or Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.